As Indian cinema expanded dramatically in the ’70s and ’80s, the remuneration of its actors followed suit, reflecting the growing scale and ambition of the film industry. During the peak of his stardom in the 1980s, Amitabh Bachchan significantly increased his per-film fees from ₹10 lakh to over ₹50 lakh, setting a gold standard in Indian cinema and making him the highest-paid actor in the country. However, this reign was unexpectedly challenged in the ’90s by a remarkable contender from the South—Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi.
In 1992, Chiranjeevi made headlines by becoming the first Indian actor to charge ₹1 crore for a film, specifically ₹1.25 crore for Aapadbandhavudu . This milestone was significant, as Amitabh Bachchan was on a hiatus following Khuda Gawah , which positioned Chiranjeevi as the highest-paid Indian actor at that time.
Prior to this shift, prominent actors like Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, and Sunny Deol were earning between ₹60-80 lakh per film. The headline of The Week magazine boldly stated: “Bigger than Bachchan,” a claim that was virtually unheard of at the time. Following Chiranjeevi’s groundbreaking fee, the ₹1 crore club began to attract more members.
In 1994, Kamal Haasan joined the ranks by charging ₹1 crore for his films, followed closely by Rajinikanth. By 1996, Amitabh Bachchan returned to the silver screen and became the first Bollywood actor to command ₹1 crore per film. That same year, Sridevi shattered glass ceil.